Fan



A. LEIMBACH June 30, 1931.

FAN

Filed Jan. 20, 1930 8 4 2 2 T h M $2 mm .v kwbfl 8b m. t F A m Quill/11 9 415- Byg IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE ADAM LEIMBAC'H, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI FAN Application filed January 20, 1930. Serial No. 422,001.

My invention relates to a fan of the rotary hand operated type and consists in improvements in the operating gearing and in the casing therefor, the casing being so arranged as to not only provide a convenient handle for the fan when in operation but to provide a container for the detached fan and other objects, such as toilet articles, said container having a neat and attractive appearance similar to a vanity case, or like articles of personal wear.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form of fan made in accordance with my invention, Figure 1 is a side eleva- 1 tion; Figure 2 is an end view, the case being in section; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the fan removed and the cover of the gear compartment open; Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the end of the operating stem; Figure 5 is a plan view partly in section and partly in elevation; and Figure 6 is a view of the detached and folded fan. i

The case 1 of my device is formed of sheet metal, such as silver, plated brass or the like, and is in the form of a rectangular oblong and may have its front and rear faces ornamented in a manner similar to an ordinary vanity case, which it resembles in appearance and the duty of which it performs in addition to its function as a fan. It is preferably provided at two of its corners with perforated ears 2 for the attachment of a chain 3, or a ribbon, by means of which it is carried. A partition 4 divides the case into a gear compartment and an article-containing compartment. This latter compartment is divided by a partition 5 into a deep ,part 6 and a shallow part 7, which may be -further subdivided into receptacles 8 for a lip stick, powder, rouge, and the like, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3. The part 6 is closed by a hinged cover 9 and the part 7 by a similar cover 1 0, which covers may be secured in position by spring catches 11. The gear compartment is closed by a hinged cover 12 which, since it need be opened only to give access to the driving mechanism, may be made a forced fit.

The driving gear frame comprises a pair of plates 13 secured together by tie rods 14.

It is spaced from the'side of the case by blocks 15 between which and the cover 12 it is held. Mounted in the frame is an arbor 16, on which are a large gear 17 and a small gear 18 free to rotate independently in one direction but prevented from rotative movement in the other direction by end ratchet teeth 19 held in mesh by a coil spring 20. Gear 18 meshes with rack teeth 21 on a plunger 22 sliding ina tubular guide 23, secured to one of the plates 13, the guide having a cut-out portion 24 at one edge to allow of the engagement of the rack with the gear. lower end of the tubular guide tends to force the plunger outwardly into the position shown inFigure 3. The plunger, which is of flat rectangular form, passes through a correspondingly shaped opening 27 (Figure 5) 7 in the top of the case. Rotatably mounted on the outer end of theplunger by a headed pin 28 in a thumb button 29. Formed in the stem of the button is a groove 30 adapted to be brought into register with the top 7 of the case so that by turning the button one quarter revolution the plunger may be'locked in its retracted position, as shown in Figures -1 and 2.

Gear wheel 17 meshes with a small wheel 31 on arbor 32 and rigidly secured to a wheel 33 meshing with a wheel 34 on the fan shaft 35, the projecting end of which is situated in the space between the frame and the side of the case in alignment with a hole 36 (Figure 2) through which may be inserted the friction sleeve 37 of the fan 38 to engage the fan with its shaft.

The fan can be removed from its shaft, folded as shown in Figure 6, and placed in the receptacle 6 which is of sufiicient size to contain, in addition to the fan, coins, keys and other small articles. When the fan is removed and the plunger locked in its retracted position, with the button 29 substantially flush with the top of the case, the device has the appearance of an ordinary vanity case. The size and shape of the case enables it to form a convenient handle for the fan; the, back of the case resting 10m A coil spring 25 contained in the 65 7 against the palm of the hand with the edges grasped between the fingers and ball of the thumb, bringing the thumb in proper position over the button to operate the plunger.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a case, of fan driving gearing in said case, a non-rotary spring plunger projecting through said cas'e for actuating said gearing, and a thumb button on said plunger, said button being rotatable to lock the plunger in retracted position.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with an oblong flat casing forming a vanity case and adapted to be grasped in the palm of the hand, of driving gearing contained in one end of saidcasing,

a compartment for a fan in the other end of said casing, a detachable fan driven by said gearing and adapted to be stored in said casing, a reciprocating operating stem projecting from one side of said casing, and athumb button on said stem, said button being rotatable to lock the stem in retracted position. I

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature, this 11th day of January, 1980. ADAM LEIMBACH. 

